Sport

Clarets Blog: Turf needs another dreamer

AND then there were four... Brendan Flood stunned Burnley this week by announcing his resignation as director after six years, trimming an already streamlined board further still.

Although it came out of the blue, the consequences of the Rossendale born businessman’s decision may not seem that drastic to the club on paper.

He retained the title of operational director when Barry Kilby stood down as chairman in May. But after John Banaszkiewicz and Mike Garlick took joint stewardship of the Clarets, and with the appointment of Lee Hoos as chief executive, Flood was all but phased out. He was certainly not as heavily involved in the day-to-day running of the club as he had been previously.

But from a transfer and contract point of view, such were the level of contacts he has gathered he could still push a few buttons, turn a few screws, in that respect.

Flood indicated he has stepped down for personal reasons after a long, ongoing battle with the Bank of Ireland reached a conclusion.

The break, it would seem, has come at the right time for him personally. But for the club, the timing couldn’t be much worse.

His beloved Clarets sit seventh in the Championship and, on current form, are in with a shout for another crack at the play-offs.

With 18 games to sustain that push, they are only a point worse off than they were at the same stage of their promotion season.

The 2008/09 ‘Dare to Dream’ catchphrase was not coined by Flood, but it tripped off his tongue. He dreamt big.

His cash injections helped to bring in Martin Paterson and Chris Eagles – two players that were influential in taking the team that Steve Cotterill built onto the next level.

It could, of course, have been catastrophic if things hadn’t worked out that season. But with a cup semi-final under their belt, and a few Premier League scalps along the way, before winning at Wembley ... it couldn’t have gone better.

Flood’s ambitions and ideas are believed to have become a source of frustration for other directors, however. He was seen as too much of a maverick in austere times.

With nine professionals out of contract this summer, Burnley are facing an overhaul of playing staff if new deals cannot be agreed.

At the moment, that seems an unlikely outcome for the majority with paycuts of up to 40 per cent being proposed.

Although Flood had taken a back seat, he is respected by agents and long-standing players, and could have been influential in encouraging some to stay and build on the good work that has been put in place.

Flood is no longer a part of that process, but someone needs to take on board a bit of his bravery to keep the Clarets competitive.

Comments (8)

Though it was full of dreamers, dreaming about beating Rovers, dreaming about staying ahead of them in the league, dreaming, dreaming......zzzzzz
zzzzzz!

Rip van Winkle didn't dream as long as that.

Though it was full of dreamers, dreaming about beating Rovers, dreaming about staying ahead of them in the league, dreaming, dreaming......zzzzzz
zzzzzz!
Rip van Winkle didn't dream as long as that.owd nick

Dreaming that Fat Jack Walker was still alive so that he can open his chequebook and save you from the inevitable.

Dare to Dream suckers.

Of course, as opposed to you gimps -
Dreaming of having decent owners
Dreaming that you were still in the Premier League
Dreaming you could still attract decent players
Dreaming that Phil Jones still played for you
Dreaming that maybe you could have a decent manager
And most of all:
Dreaming that Fat Jack Walker was still alive so that he can open his chequebook and save you from the inevitable.
Dare to Dream suckers.Blackburn fans love horses

Wow, you Blackburn fans are really on the ball when it comes to humour aren't you.

Almost as funny as the slapstick that is seeping out of BolEwood at the moment.

Singh and Agnew AKA The Chuckle Brothers - "To me", "To you"

[quote][p][bold]owd nick[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Mr Purple[/bold] wrote:
Can I suggest Shebby Singh[/p][/quote]I tried that yesterday.[/p][/quote]Wow, you Blackburn fans are really on the ball when it comes to humour aren't you.
Almost as funny as the slapstick that is seeping out of BolEwood at the moment.
Singh and Agnew AKA The Chuckle Brothers - "To me", "To you"Blackburn fans love horses

Wow, you Blackburn fans are really on the ball when it comes to humour aren't you.

Almost as funny as the slapstick that is seeping out of BolEwood at the moment.

Singh and Agnew AKA The Chuckle Brothers - &quot;To me", "To you"

We would try it with you lot but you would drop it first attempt.

[quote][p][bold]Blackburn fans love horses[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]owd nick[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Mr Purple[/bold] wrote:
Can I suggest Shebby Singh[/p][/quote]I tried that yesterday.[/p][/quote]Wow, you Blackburn fans are really on the ball when it comes to humour aren't you.
Almost as funny as the slapstick that is seeping out of BolEwood at the moment.
Singh and Agnew AKA The Chuckle Brothers - "To me", "To you"[/p][/quote]We would try it with you lot but you would drop it first attempt.owd nick

Wow, you Blackburn fans are really on the ball when it comes to humour aren't you.

Almost as funny as the slapstick that is seeping out of BolEwood at the moment.

Singh and Agnew AKA The Chuckle Brothers - &quot;To me", "To you"

We would try it with you lot but you would drop it first attempt.

Sounds like Paul Robinson....

[quote][p][bold]owd nick[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Blackburn fans love horses[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]owd nick[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Mr Purple[/bold] wrote:
Can I suggest Shebby Singh[/p][/quote]I tried that yesterday.[/p][/quote]Wow, you Blackburn fans are really on the ball when it comes to humour aren't you.
Almost as funny as the slapstick that is seeping out of BolEwood at the moment.
Singh and Agnew AKA The Chuckle Brothers - "To me", "To you"[/p][/quote]We would try it with you lot but you would drop it first attempt.[/p][/quote]Sounds like Paul Robinson....Blackburn fans love horses

Wow, you Blackburn fans are really on the ball when it comes to humour aren't you.

Almost as funny as the slapstick that is seeping out of BolEwood at the moment.

Singh and Agnew AKA The Chuckle Brothers - &quot;To me", "To you"

We would try it with you lot but you would drop it first attempt.

Sounds like Paul Robinson....

Couldn't agree more.

Mind you under Lardarse for two seasons he was top goal assist in the OPTA stats, the fact he struggles to get at shots low to his left doesn't count.

BTW - 7 comments on a blog about turd moor, most of them by me, a Rovers fan of 42 years through and through demonstrates the total apathy of so called Burnley fans.

Had I been a Burnley fan (perish the thought) I would be ripping comments like mine apart, or at least defending what is in effect a decent blog.

Lets face it, as Burnley fans your only purpose in life if you futile attempts at beating Rovers, something I don't think you have achieved since Andy Lochhead scored an memorable brace in the Darwen End many moons ago.

You see I may be extracting the urine but I do actually respect the great players both teams had in the past.

Sadly I suspect not many of your booze and drug addled brains can remember those days.

How long to the game at Ewood?

Will Austin be fit?

36 years and counting

You never know, City got lucky last year, for once, just hang onto the hope guys and dream zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[quote][p][bold]Blackburn fans love horses[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]owd nick[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Blackburn fans love horses[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]owd nick[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Mr Purple[/bold] wrote:
Can I suggest Shebby Singh[/p][/quote]I tried that yesterday.[/p][/quote]Wow, you Blackburn fans are really on the ball when it comes to humour aren't you.
Almost as funny as the slapstick that is seeping out of BolEwood at the moment.
Singh and Agnew AKA The Chuckle Brothers - "To me", "To you"[/p][/quote]We would try it with you lot but you would drop it first attempt.[/p][/quote]Sounds like Paul Robinson....[/p][/quote]Couldn't agree more.
Mind you under Lardarse for two seasons he was top goal assist in the OPTA stats, the fact he struggles to get at shots low to his left doesn't count.
BTW - 7 comments on a blog about turd moor, most of them by me, a Rovers fan of 42 years through and through demonstrates the total apathy of so called Burnley fans.
Had I been a Burnley fan (perish the thought) I would be ripping comments like mine apart, or at least defending what is in effect a decent blog.
Lets face it, as Burnley fans your only purpose in life if you futile attempts at beating Rovers, something I don't think you have achieved since Andy Lochhead scored an memorable brace in the Darwen End many moons ago.
You see I may be extracting the urine but I do actually respect the great players both teams had in the past.
Sadly I suspect not many of your booze and drug addled brains can remember those days.
How long to the game at Ewood?
Will Austin be fit?
36 years and counting
You never know, City got lucky last year, for once, just hang onto the hope guys and dream zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.owd nick